Apparatus, system, and method for vasculature obstruction removal

ABSTRACT

In embodiments of an obstruction removal device, system, and/or method, an expandable member is configured to be slidably coupled to a guide wire. The expandable member is configured to surround at least a portion of an obstruction captured by a stentriever as the expandable member transitions from the expanded state to the contracted state, i.e., when the guide wire is removed from a vasculature to remove the stentriever and the obstruction from the vasculature. A first locking member is located at a base of the expandable member. The first locking member is configured to engage a second locking member that is located on the guide wire, the stentriever, or an inner surface of a guide catheter, thereby coupling the expandable member to the guide wire, the stentriever, or the inner surface of the guide catheter when the expandable member is deployed within the vasculature.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) ofU.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/767,852, filed Nov. 15, 2018,and titled “APPARATUS, SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR VASCULATURE OBSTRUCTIONREMOVAL,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention generally relates to medical devices, and, moreparticularly, to medical devices for removing vascular obstructions.

BACKGROUND

Obstruction removal systems/devices may operate by lodging theobstruction in a component of the removal system. In some cases, theobstruction may dislodge. Dislodgement of the obstruction substantiallyincreases the risk for potential complications, such as stroke or heartattack. Thus, it is desirable to secure the obstruction safely forremoval from the body.

SUMMARY

An obstruction removal system is disclosed. In one or more embodiments,the obstruction removal system includes a guide catheter configured tobe inserted within a vasculature and a guide wire having a distal endconfigured to be inserted within the guide catheter and disposedproximate to an obstruction in the vasculature. A stentriever isdisposed at a distal end of the guide wire, and the stentriever isconfigured to engage the obstruction in the vasculature. An expandablemember is slidably coupled to the guide wire, and the expandable memberis configured to transition between a contracted state and an expandedstate. The expandable member is configured to surround at least oneportion of the stentriever and the obstruction as the expandable membertransitions from the expanded state to the contracted state, i.e., whenthe guide wire is removed from the vasculature to remove the stentrieverand the obstruction from the vasculature. A first locking member islocated at a base of the expandable member. The first locking member isconfigured to engage a second locking member that is located on theguide wire, the stentriever, or an inner surface of the guide catheter,thereby coupling the expandable member to the guide wire, thestentriever, or the inner surface of the guide catheter when theexpandable member is deployed within the vasculature.

More generally, an obstruction removal device is disclosed. In one ormore embodiments, the obstruction removal device includes an expandablemember configured to be slidably coupled to a guide wire. The expandablemember is configured to transition between a contracted state and anexpanded state. The expandable member is further configured to surroundat least one portion of a stentriever and an obstruction as theexpandable member transitions from the expanded state to the contractedstate, i.e., when the guide wire is removed from a vasculature to removethe stentriever and the obstruction from the vasculature. A firstlocking member is located at a base of the expandable member. The firstlocking member is configured to engage a second locking member that islocated on the guide wire, the stentriever, or an inner surface of aguide catheter, thereby coupling the expandable member to the guidewire, the stentriever, or the inner surface of the guide catheter whenthe expandable member is deployed within the vasculature.

A method for removing an obstruction from a vasculature is alsodisclosed. In one or more embodiments, the method includes the steps of:inserting a guide catheter within a vasculature; extending a guide wirethrough the guide catheter so that a distal end of the guide wire isdisposed proximate to the obstruction in the vasculature; engaging atleast one portion of the obstruction in the vasculature with astentriever disposed at the distal end of the guide wire; sliding anexpandable member along the guide wire until a first locking member at abase of the expandable member engages a second locking member on theguide wire, the stentriever, or an inner surface of the guide catheter,thereby coupling the expandable member to the guide wire, thestentriever, or the inner surface of the guide catheter, the expandablemember being configured to transition between a contracted state and anexpanded state; and removing the guide wire from the vasculature toremove the stentriever and the obstruction from the vasculature, whereinthe expandable member is configured to surround at least one portion ofthe stentriever and the obstruction as the expandable member transitionsfrom the expanded state to the contracted state when the guide wire isremoved from the vasculature to remove the stentriever and theobstruction from the vasculature.

This Summary is provided solely as an introduction to subject matterthat is fully described in the Detailed Description and Drawings. TheSummary should not be considered to describe essential features nor beused to determine the scope of the Claims. Moreover, it is to beunderstood that both the foregoing Summary and the following DetailedDescription are example and explanatory only and are not necessarilyrestrictive of the subject matter claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanyingfigures. The use of the same reference numbers in different instances inthe description and the figures may indicate similar or identical items.Various embodiments or examples (“examples”) of the present disclosureare disclosed in the following detailed description and the accompanyingdrawings. The drawings are not necessarily to scale. In general,operations of disclosed processes may be performed in an arbitraryorder, unless otherwise provided in the claims.

FIG. 1A illustrates a cross-sectional side view of a guide catheter ofan obstruction removal system deployed within a vasculature, inaccordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1B illustrates a cross-sectional side view of an expandable memberof the obstruction removal system deployed through the guide catheter,in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1C illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the expandable memberof the obstruction removal system deployed through the guide catheteruntil a base member of the expandable member reaches one or more guidestops, wherein the expandable member is pushed through the guidecatheter by a delivery wire/tube, in accordance with one or moreembodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1D illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the expandable memberof the obstruction removal system deployed through the guide catheteruntil a base member of the expandable member reaches one or more guidestops, wherein the delivery wire/tube has been removed, in accordancewith one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1E illustrates a cross-sectional side view of a stentriever of theobstruction removal system deployed through the guide catheter, whereinthe stentriever is attached to a guide wire that is fed through theguide catheter using a microcatheter, in accordance with one or moreembodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1F illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the stentriever ofthe obstruction removal system deployed through the guide catheter,wherein the stentriever attached to the guide wire is fed through theguide catheter and the expandable member using the microcatheter, inaccordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1G illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the stentriever ofthe obstruction removal system deployed within the vasculature, whereinthe microcatheter is pulled back to unsheathe the stentriever so thatthe stentriever can engage an obstruction in the vasculature, inaccordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1H illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the stentriever ofthe obstruction removal system being pulled back through the guidecatheter to remove the obstruction from the vasculature, in accordancewith one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1I illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the stentriever ofthe obstruction removal system being pulled back through the guidecatheter to remove the obstruction from the vasculature, in accordancewith one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1J illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the expandable memberof the obstruction removal system being pulled back through the guidecatheter with the stentriever, wherein the expandable member transitionsto a contracted state and surrounds at least a portion of theobstruction as the expandable member is pulled into the guide catheter,in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1K illustrates a cross-sectional end view of a guide catheter witha microcatheter inserted within the guide catheter and a guide wireinserted within the microcatheter, in accordance with one or moreembodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1L illustrates a cross-sectional end view of a guide catheter withguide stops attached to an inner surface of the guide catheter, inaccordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2A illustrates a cross-sectional side view of a guide catheter ofan obstruction removal system deployed within a vasculature, inaccordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2B illustrates a cross-sectional side view of a stentriever of theobstruction removal system deployed through the guide catheter, whereinthe stentriever is attached to a guide wire that is fed through theguide catheter using a microcatheter, in accordance with one or moreembodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2C illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the stentriever ofthe obstruction removal system deployed within the vasculature, whereinthe microcatheter is pulled back to unsheathe the stentriever so thatthe stentriever can engage an obstruction in the vasculature, inaccordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2D illustrates a cross-sectional side view of an expandable memberof the obstruction removal system deployed through the guide catheter,wherein the expandable member is slidably coupled to the guide wire andpushed through the guide catheter using a microcatheter, in accordancewith one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2E illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the expandable memberof the obstruction removal system deployed within the vasculature afterbeing pushed through the guide catheter, wherein a first locking memberat the base of the expandable member is mated with a second lockingmember on the guide wire and/or stentriever, in accordance with one ormore embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2F illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the stentriever ofthe obstruction removal system being pulled back through the guidecatheter to remove the obstruction from the vasculature, wherein theexpandable member is inverted as the stentriever is pulled towardsand/or into the guide catheter, in accordance with one or moreembodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2G illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the stentriever ofthe obstruction removal system being pulled back through the guidecatheter to remove the obstruction from the vasculature, wherein theobstruction is at least partially surrounded by the inverted expandablemember, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 2H illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the expandable memberof the obstruction removal system being pulled back through the guidecatheter with the stentriever, wherein the expandable member transitionsto a contracted state and surrounds at least a portion of theobstruction as the expandable member is pulled into the guide catheter,in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2I illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the stentriever ofthe obstruction removal system deployed within the vasculature, whereinthe second locking member is on the guide wire at a distance from thestentriever, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 3A illustrates the expandable member being loaded onto the guidewire for deployment through the guide catheter, in accordance with oneor more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3B illustrates the expandable member loaded onto the guide wire fordeployment through the guide catheter, in accordance with one or moreembodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3C illustrates the expandable member loaded onto the guide wire fordeployment through the guide catheter, wherein the expandable member ispushed along the guide wire by a microcatheter, in accordance with oneor more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3D illustrates the expandable member loaded onto the guide wire fordeployment through the guide catheter, wherein the expandable member ispushed along the guide wire by a microcatheter, in accordance with oneor more embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the subject matter disclosed,which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Referring generallyto FIGS. 1A through 9, an obstruction removal system is described, inparticular, an obstruction removal system configured to selectivelydeploy an expandable member in a vasculature to reduce the risksassociated with removal of an obstruction. The expandable member may beused to prevent an obstruction from dislodging from a stentriever andpassing to a potentially more dangerous area (e.g. causing a totalblockage, blocking a portion of a vital vasculature, etc.). In thisregard, a physician may determine whether an obstruction is prone torisk and selectively deploy the expandable member. Furthermore, thephysician may deploy the expandable member at various locations awayfrom the obstruction (e.g., clot), as needed.

In embodiments, the obstruction removal system comprises a guidecatheter, a guide wire, an expandable member, and first and secondlocking members. The first locking member may be attached to the base ofthe expandable member, such that translation of the expandable memberresults in translation of the first locking member. The first lockingmember may be further configured to engage the second locking member. Inthis regard, the expandable member may be fixed to the second lockingmember by the first locking member.

The expandable member may be inserted within the guide catheter by aguide wire and/or microcatheter and disposed proximate to an obstructionin the vasculature. The guide wire and/or microcatheter may be furtherconfigured to engage the first locking member to the second lockingmember.

The expandable member may be configured to transition between one ormore positions, such as, a contracted state and an expanded state. Theexpanded state may allow the expandable member to surround a portion ofat least one of the stentriever and/or the obstruction. The contractedstate may be suitable for insertion and removal of the expandable memberthrough the guide catheter and/or a microcatheter. In this regard, whenthe expandable member is in the collapsed/contracted state aftersurrounding at least a portion of the stentriever and/or theobstruction, the expandable member, and the stentriever may be withdrawnthrough the guide catheter and/or the microcatheter.

Benefits for surrounding a portion of the stentriever or the obstructionin an expandable member may include, but are not limited to, smallercross-sectional area, reduced friction on a vessel wall, reducedlikelihood of catching on an opening of the guide catheter, reducedlikelihood of catching on an opening of a microcatheter, and reducedlikelihood of obstruction dislodgement.

The expandable member is configured to transition between the one ormore positions (e.g. contracted state and collapsed position) in anysuitable way, including, but not limited to, internal stresses,friction, material properties, wires attached to the expandable member,hooks to grab on to/make contact with a portion of a vessel wall, or amating surface between the first locking member and the second lockingmember.

In some embodiments, the first locking member may be configured todisengage from the second locking member when the delivery system isremoved from the vasculature. In this regard, the disengagement of thefirst locking member from the second locking member may be used toremove the stentriever and obstruction from the vasculature. The abilityto disengage the first and second locking member may allow reuse of theguide wire, the stentriever, the expandable member, the guide catheter,and/or the microcatheter. The first and second locking member may engageby any suitable means, including but not limited to, guide stops,snap-fit connectors, cooperatively threaded connectors, magneticconnectors, or the like.

In embodiments, the second locking member may be attached in severallocations, including, but not limited to, the stentriever, the guidewire, or an inner surface of the guide catheter. In this regard, afterthe first and second locking member engage, the first and second lockingmember will be fixed relative to the stentriever, the guide wire, or theguide catheter.

It is to be understood that the first and second locking member may beconfigured to engage at various points during the removal of theobstruction from the vasculature. For example, the first and secondlocking member may engage before or after the stentriever engages theobstruction. The order of engagement listed is not intended to belimiting.

FIGS. 1A through 1K illustrate one or more embodiments of an obstructionremoval system 100. As shown in FIG. 1A, the obstruction removal system100 includes a guide catheter 106 configured to be inserted through avasculature to a position proximate to an obstruction 108. Theobstruction removal system 100 may include guide stops 104 attached(e.g., mounted) to or formed on an inner surface of the guide catheter106, at or near a distal end of the guide catheter (e.g. near an openingof the guide catheter).

As shown in FIG. 1B, the obstruction removal system 100 further includesan expandable member 110. In a contracted state, the expandable member110 is configured to be inserted through the guide catheter and out of adistal opening of the guide catheter 106. When the expandable member 110is in the contracted state, the expandable member may fit through theguide stops 104.

FIG. 1C further illustrates the expandable member 110 deployed out ofthe distal opening of the guide catheter 106, where a base member 112attached to the expandable member 110 is pushed up against, mated with,or otherwise engaged with the guide stops 104. A delivery tool 120(e.g., a delivery wire or delivery tube) may be used to push theexpandable member 110 through the guide catheter 106. In someembodiments, the delivery tool 120 may include an end-mounted supportmember 121 configured to support the expandable member 110 as theexpandable member 110 is pushed through the guide catheter 106. FIG. 1Dfurther illustrates the expandable member 110 transitioned to anexpanded state. The delivery tool 120 can then be removed from thevasculature.

It is to be understood that the use of guide stops 104 on an innerportion of a guide catheter 106 may be suitable to allow a physician toselectively position the expandable member 110 at an appropriatedistance from an obstruction 108 by translating some portion of theguide catheter 106 and/or the delivery tool 120. When positioning theguide catheter 106 and the expandable member 110, the physician mayaccount for such things as vasculature geometry, obstruction size, bloodpressure, blood flow direction, or vasculature tissue strength. Forexample, it may be undesirable to deploy the expandable member 110 nearthe obstruction location (e.g. due to a complex vasculature structure)but may still be desirable to use the expandable member 110 (e.g. toreduce likelihood of separation of the obstruction 108 from astentriever). In this example, the expandable member 110 may be deployedaway from the obstruction 108 and still retain the benefit of reducingcomplications due to obstruction dislodgement.

Referring now to FIG. 1E, the obstruction removal system 100 may furtherinclude a stentriever 118 configured to be inserted through the guidecatheter 106. For example, the stentriever 118 may be coupled or formedon/near a distal end of a guide wire 116 configured to be insertedthrough the guide catheter 106. In embodiments, the stentriever 118 maybe housed within a microcatheter 114 (e.g., any suitable microcatheteror tube). The microcatheter 114 may be used to contain the stentriever118 and keep the stentriever 118 from expanding within the guidecatheter 106. This may provide one or more advantages, such as, but notlimited to, reducing friction between the stentriever 118 and the guidecatheter 106, permitting the stentriever 118 to be inserted through thebase member 112 and/or the distal opening of the guide catheter 106, andpreventing the stentriever 118 from prematurely engaging with theexpandable member 110.

FIG. 1F illustrates the stentriever 118, microcatheter 114, and guidewire 116 inserted through the base member 112, the expandable member110, and the distal opening of the guide catheter 106. The stentriever118 is attached to the guide wire 116, so that translation of the guidewire 116 results in translation of the stentriever 118.

FIG. 1G illustrates the stentriever 118 after the stentriever 118 hasbeen deployed out of a distal end of the microcatheter 114 and at leastpartially engaging the obstruction 108. It is to be understood thatthere may be one or more methods for engaging the obstruction 108 withthe stentriever 118. For example, the microcatheter 114 may be deployedthrough/alongside of the obstruction 108, with the stentriever 118contained within the microcatheter 114. The microcatheter 114 may thenbe withdrawn, permitting the stentriever 118 to expand and engage theobstruction 108.

FIGS. 1H and 1I illustrate the guide wire 116 withdrawing thestentriever 118 (and the obstruction 108) towards the expandable member110. The expandable member 110 may be configured in an expanded state,such that the expandable member 110 may surround at least a portion ofthe obstruction 108 and/or stentriever 118 as the stentriever 118 andthe obstruction 108 are pulled into the guide catheter 106. As the guidewire 116 is withdrawn and removed from the vasculature, the expandablemember 110 may transition from the expanded state to acontracted/collapsed state, thereby causing the expandable member 110 toat least partially surround and clench the obstruction 108 so that theobstruction 108 can be safely removed from the vasculature.

FIG. 1J illustrates the expandable member 110 withdrawn into the guidecatheter 106 in a collapsed position. In some embodiments, the basemember 112 may be configured to disengage from the guide stops 104. Theguide wire 116 with the stentriever 118, obstruction 108, and expandablemember 110 may be withdrawn through the microcatheter 114, as depictedin FIG. 1J. Alternatively, the guide wire 116 with the stentriever 118,obstruction 108, and expandable member 110 may be pulled directlythrough the guide catheter 106.

FIG. 1K illustrates a cross-sectional end view of an obstruction removalsystem, where a guide wire 116 is inserted through a microcatheter 114and a guide catheter 106, and FIG. 1L illustrates a cross-sectional endview of a guide catheter 106 with guide stops 104 (e.g., one or moreprotrusions or a ring) attached to an inner surface of the guidecatheter 106. The guide stops 104 depicted are not intended to belimiting, but are merely to provide an example of a method/means forengaging a base member. The guide stops 104 may be configured to engagewith a base member 112 attached to an expandable member 110 (e.g. bytaking up a portion of the cross-sectional area of the guide catheter106). Additionally, the guide stops may be configured to take up aminimal cross-sectional area of the guide catheter 106, in order toallow injection of radioactive dye. In some embodiments, the guide stops104 may be further configured to mate with the expandable member 110 totemporarily lock it in place at the distal end of the guide catheter106.

FIGS. 2A through 2I illustrate one or more additional embodiments of theobstruction removal system 100. As shown in FIG. 2A, the guide catheter106 is configured to be inserted through a vasculature to a positionproximate to an obstruction 108. FIG. 2B illustrates a stentriever 118inserted through the guide catheter 106 and out of a distal end of theguide catheter 106, such that the stentriever 118 is in a positionproximate to the obstruction 108. In embodiments, the stentriever 118may be at least partially housed within a microcatheter 114. Thestentriever 118 is attached to a distal end of a guide wire 116, suchthat translation of the guide wire 116 results in translation of thestentriever 118.

FIG. 2C illustrates the stentriever 118 after the stentriever 118 hasbeen deployed out of a distal end of the microcatheter 114 and at leastpartially engaging the obstruction 108. In FIG. 2C, the microcatheter114 has been withdrawn through the guide catheter 106. A locking member202 is located at a position proximate to a base of the stentriever 118,such as, but not limited to, at the base of the stentriever 118, on theguide wire 116 near the base of the stentriever, or some combination ofthe two. As shown in FIG. 2D, another locking member 204 is located at abase of the expandable member 204.

FIG. 2D illustrates an expandable member 110 being pushed the guidecatheter 106 into the vasculature. The expandable member 110 may be slidalong the guide wire 116, through the guide catheter 106, by themicrocatheter 114. The expandable member 110 is slidably coupled to theguide wire 116 (i.e., configured to slide along the guide wire 116). Themicrocatheter 114 may be configured to slide the expandable member 110along the guide wire 116 until locking member 204 engages (e.g., mateswith) locking member 202.

The expandable member 110 may be inserted through the guide catheter 106in a first configuration that permits the expandable member 110 to behoused within the microcatheter 114 while the expandable member isinserted through the guide catheter 106. In this regard, the expandablemember 110 may not expand from the first configuration until themicrocatheter 114 is withdrawn. Alternatively, the first configurationof the expandable member 110 may permit the expandable member 110 tosurround a distal portion of the microcatheter 114. In such cases, theexpandable member 110 may expand outwardly when the expandable member110 is no longer housed within the guide catheter 106.

FIG. 2E illustrates locking member 204 engaged (e.g., mated) withlocking member 202 to form a coupling 200 that secures the expandablemember 110 to the stentriever 118 and/or a portion of the guide wirenear the stentriever 118. In this regard, the stentriever 118 and theexpandable member 110 can be moved together by translating the guidewire 116. Additionally, the obstruction 108 can be pulled towards and/orinto the guide catheter 106 by withdrawing the guide wire 116.

In FIG. 2E, the microcatheter 114 has been withdrawn into the guidecatheter 106. In some embodiments, the microcatheter 114 may remain at aposition proximate to locking member 204. In other embodiments, themicrocatheter 114 may be withdrawn into the guide catheter 106 afterlocking member 204 engages locking member 202. In other embodiments, themicrocatheter 114 may be withdrawn out of the vasculature.

FIG. 2F illustrates the guide wire 116 withdrawing the stentriever 118,the obstruction 108, and a portion of the expandable member 110 towardsa distal opening of the guide catheter 106. As the portion of theexpandable member 110 is withdrawn, the expandable member inverts fromthe first configuration to a second configuration. The inversion of theexpandable member may occur due to a frictional force between theexpandable member 110 and the vessel wall 102. As the expandable member110 inverts from the first configuration to the second configuration, aninner portion of the expandable member 110 near the locking member 204may translate while an outer portion of the expandable member 110 nearthe vessel wall 102 may remain stationary (or translate at a speed lessthan the inner portion).

After transitioning from the first configuration to the secondconfiguration, the expandable member 110 is configured to surround atleast a portion of the obstruction 108 and/or the stentriever 118. FIG.2G illustrates the expandable member 110 after the expandable member 110has inverted from the first configuration to the second configurationand surrounded at least a portion of the stentriever 118 and/or theobstruction 108. Surrounding the obstruction 108 with the expandablemember 110 may prevent dislodgement of the obstruction 108 duringremoval.

FIG. 2H illustrates the expandable member 110, obstruction 108, andstentriever 118 at least partially withdrawn into the guide catheter106. In some embodiments, such as the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2H,the guide wire 116 with the expandable member 110, stentriever 118, andobstruction 108 may be further withdrawn into the microcatheter 114during removal. Alternatively, the guide wire 116 with the expandablemember 110, stentriever 118, and obstruction 108 can be pulled directlythrough the guide catheter 106.

FIG. 2I illustrates an embodiment of the obstruction removal system 100,where locking member 202 is located on the guide wire 116 at a distancefrom the stentriever 118. This configuration may be advantageous insituations where a patient's vasculature structure limits deployment ofthe expandable member 110, locking member 204, and/or guide catheter106. In this regard, a physician may have a set of guide wire andstents, where the set of guide wires has receiving members housed atvarious lengths from the stents (e.g. 25 mm, 50 mm, 75 mm, 100 mm,etc.). The set of guide wires may allow the physician to select anappropriate guide wire for the patient, based on criteria such aspatient vasculature structure or the size of the obstruction.

FIGS. 3A through 3D illustrate the manner by which the expandable member110, as described with reference to FIGS. 2A through 2I, can be insertedinto and deployed through the guide catheter 106. For example, FIGS. 3Aand 3B illustrate the expandable member 110 being loaded onto the guidewire 116 for deployment through the guide catheter 106. FIGS. 3C and 3Dthen illustrates the expandable member 110 being pushed along the guidewire 116 by the microcatheter 114. In this manner the expandable member110 can be fed through the guide catheter 106, into the vasculature 102,and positioned proximate to and/or in contact with the stentriever 118as previously discussed herein with reference to FIGS. 2D and 2E.

Referring generally to embodiments of the obstruction removal system 100disclosed herein, the expandable member 110 may be configured totransition between a first configuration and a second configuration, orbetween a contracted state and an expanded state, in any number of ways,including, but not limited to, unsheathing (e.g., withdrawal of themicrocatheter 114 or extension through the guide catheter 106),disengagement of locking members (e.g., wires, hooks, etc.) attached tothe expandable member 110, use of shape memory alloys (e.g., Nitinol),or the like. It is envisioned that when the expandable member is in anexpanded state, the expandable member may take up a substantial portionof the cross-section of the vasculature or the vessel wall 102.

In embodiments, the expandable member 110, the obstruction 108, and thestentriever 118 are withdrawn into the guide catheter 106 and removedfrom the vasculature. In some embodiments, the expandable member 110,the obstruction 108, and the stentriever 118 may be further withdrawninto the microcatheter 114. The expandable member 110 may surround atleast a portion of the obstruction 108 to prevent dislodging and mayalso assist in compressing the obstruction 108 into the guide catheter106 and/or the microcatheter 114 (e.g. by tension, cinching, crimping,etc.).

In some embodiments, an expandable member 110 may further include one ormore features including, but not limited to, hooks. The hooks may attachto or make abrasive contact with a vessel wall when the expandablemember 110 is in the expanded state; the hooks may also hold a portionof the obstruction 108 when the expandable member 110 at least partiallysurrounds the obstruction 108 prior to its removal.

Surrounding at least a portion of the obstruction 108 and/or stentriever118 by the expandable member 110 may serve several functions including,but not limited to, reducing a likelihood that the stentriever 118 snags(e.g. on a vessel wall 102 or an opening of the guide catheter 106),reducing a profile of the obstruction 108 for removal through the guidecatheter 106 and/or microcatheter 114, and/or securing the obstruction108 to prevent dislodgement from the stentriever 118.

In embodiments, the expandable member 110 may comprise a wire mesh. Sucha wire mesh may include wires made of a flexible material (e.g. nitinol,cobalt chromium, polymer mesh, or the like), where the wires (e.g. 16 to288 or more wires), have a certain diameter (e.g. from 0.0007 inches to0.0050 inches), and have certain material properties (e.g. strength,coefficient of friction with blood, resistance to plastic deformation,etc.) suitable for engaging the obstruction 108 and/or the stentriever118. Furthermore, the wire mesh may include various sets of wires (e.g.support wires with larger diameters, wires to engage a vessel wall,wires to engage a portion of the obstruction or stentriever, radiopaqueor radiodense wires, etc.).

Any number of the presently disclosed elements may be suitable forimaging by a non-invasive imaging technology (e.g. X-ray, CT scans,etc.). For instance, the guide catheter 106, guide wire 116,microcatheter 114, expandable member 110, stentriever 118, guide stops104, base member 112, locking member 204, locking member 202, and/or anyadditional components may comprise radiodense or radiopaque material(e.g. titanium, tungsten, barium sulfate, or zirconium oxide) suitablefor insertion in a human body.

It is to be understood that any number of components of the obstructionremoval system 100 may be attached by any suitable means including, butnot limited to, welding, adhesive, mechanical fastening, interferencefittings, etc. For example, the base member 112 or locking member 204may be attached to the expandable member 110 by such means.Alternatively, or additionally, two or more of the components may beportions of a common structure (e.g., a common mold or print).

In some embodiments, the expandable member 110 is temporarily attachedto the microcatheter 114. For example, the expandable member 110 may beconfigured to detach from the microcatheter 114 after locking member 204engages locking member 202 or after base member 112 engages the one ormore guide stops 104.

The locking members 202 and 204 and/or the base member 112 and guidestop(s) 104 may be configured to selectively engage and disengage. It isenvisioned that the ability to selectively engage and disengage mayprovide advantages. For example, the ability to selectively disengagemay allow for reusability of one or more of the components (e.g.expandable member 110, microcatheter 114, guide catheter 106, etc.). Byway of another example, the ability to engage and disengage may provideincreased functionality when inserting and removing components throughthe guide catheter 106 (e.g. fewer components translating through theguide catheter 106 at the same time).

It is envisioned that there may be multiple orders in which one or moredevices of the obstruction removal system 100 are deployed. Factors fordetermining an order may include, but are not limited to, vasculatureproperties (e.g. vasculature size, vasculature geometries, branches ofthe vasculature, vasculature wall strength, etc.), blood pressure, bloodflow direction, duration of operation (i.e. does patient require areduced operating time for safety concerns), size of obstruction, or theconfiguration of the obstruction removal device.

Referring generally to FIGS. 1A through 1K, a method of removing anobstruction from a vasculature may include, but is not limited to, thesteps of: deploying the guide catheter 106 through the patient'svasculature to a position near the obstruction 108, where the guidecatheter 106 includes one or more guide stops 104 on an inner surface atthe distal end of the guide catheter 106; inserting the expandablemember 110 through the guide catheter 106 and (with a delivery tool 120)pushing the expandable member 110 up to the distal end of the guidecatheter 106, so that a base member 112 attached to the expandablemember 110 engages the guide stops 104; inserting the stentriever 118attached to guide wire 116 within a microcatheter 114 and feeding thestentriever 118 through the guide catheter 106 using the microcatheter114; deploying the stentriever 118 and the microcatheter 114 through theguide catheter 106, guide stops 104, and expandable member 110 up to theobstruction 108; withdrawing the microcatheter 114 to unsheathe thestentriever 118 to engage the obstruction 108 with the stentriever 118;withdrawing the stentriever 118 and the obstruction 108 by withdrawing(e.g., pulling) the guide wire 116, where the expandable member 110surrounds at least a portion of the obstruction 108 and/or thestentriever 118 and transitions from an expanded state to a contractedstate as the guide wire 116 with the stentriever 118 and obstruction 108are pulled through the guide catheter 106 and removed from thevasculature.

Referring generally to FIGS. 2A through 2I, a method of removing anobstruction from a vasculature may include, but is not limited to, thesteps of: deploying the guide catheter 106 through the patient'svasculature to a position near the obstruction 108; deploy thestentriever 118 in a microcatheter 114 through the guide catheter 106,out of a distal end of the guide catheter 106, and to a positionproximate to the obstruction 108; pushing the microcatheter 114 and thestentriever 118 through/around the obstruction 108; withdraw themicrocatheter 114 from the vasculature to unsheathe the stentriever 118so that the stentriever 118 engages the obstruction 108; sliding theexpandable member 110 onto the guide wire 116; sliding the expandablemember 110 along the guide wire 116 through the guide catheter 106 usingthe microcatheter 114 to push the expandable member 110 until lockingmember 204 at the base of the expandable member 110 engages lockingmember 202 on the guide wire 116, the stentriever 118, or an innersurface of the guide catheter 106, thereby coupling the expandablemember 110 to the guide wire 116, the stentriever 118, or the innersurface of the guide catheter 106; and removing the guide wire 116 fromthe vasculature to remove the stentriever 118 and the obstruction 108from the vasculature, causing the expandable member 110 to surround atleast one portion of the stentriever 118 and/or the obstruction 108 asthe expandable member 110 inverts and transitions from an expanded stateto a contracted state when the guide wire 116 is removed from thevasculature to remove the stentriever 118 and the obstruction 108 fromthe vasculature.

It is to be understood that implementations of the methods disclosedherein may include one or more of the steps described herein. Further,such steps may be carried out in any desired order and, in someimplementations, two or more of the steps may be carried outsimultaneously with one another. Two or more of the steps disclosedherein may be combined in a single step, and in some implementations.,one or more of the steps may be carried out as two or more sub-steps.Further, other steps or sub-steps may be carried in addition to, or assubstitutes to one or more of the steps disclosed herein.

It is also to be understood that usage of terminology in the presentdisclosure is not intended to be limiting. For example, as used herein,an “obstruction” may refer to any vascular obstruction, including butnot limited to, a blood clot, plaque (e.g. fat, cholesterol, etc.),internal structure/growth, foreign object, or the like.

Although the technology has been described with reference to theembodiments illustrated in the attached drawing figures, equivalents maybe employed and substitutions made herein without departing from thescope of the technology as recited in the claims. Components illustratedand described herein are merely examples of a device and components thatmay be used to implement the embodiments of the present invention andmay be replaced with other devices and components without departing fromthe scope of the invention. Furthermore, any dimensions, degrees, and/ornumerical ranges provided herein are to be understood as non-limitingexamples unless otherwise specified in the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An obstruction removal system, comprising: aguide catheter configured to be inserted within a vasculature; a guidewire having a distal end configured to be inserted within the guidecatheter and disposed proximate to an obstruction in the vasculature; astentriever disposed at a distal end of the guide wire, the stentrieverconfigured to engage the obstruction in the vasculature; an expandablemember slidably coupled to the guide wire, the expandable member beingconfigured to transition between a contracted state and an expandedstate, wherein the expandable member is configured to surround at leastone portion of the stentriever and the obstruction as the expandablemember transitions from the expanded state to the contracted state whenthe guide wire is removed from the vasculature to remove the stentrieverand the obstruction from the vasculature; and a first locking member ata base of the expandable member, the first locking member configured toengage a second locking member on the guide wire, the stentriever, or aninner surface of the guide catheter, thereby coupling the expandablemember to the guide wire, the stentriever, or the inner surface of theguide catheter.
 2. The obstruction removal system of claim 1, whereinthe second locking member is on the inner surface of the guide catheterat or near a distal end of the guide catheter.
 3. The obstructionremoval system of claim 2, wherein the first locking member isconfigured to disengage the second locking member when the guide wire isremoved from the vasculature to remove the stentriever and theobstruction from the vasculature.
 4. The obstruction removal system ofclaim 1, wherein the second locking member is attached to a proximal endof the stentriever or a portion of the guide wire that is near aproximal end of the stentriever.
 5. The obstruction removal system ofclaim 1, wherein the first and second locking members comprise snap-fitconnectors.
 6. The obstruction removal system of claim 1, wherein thefirst and second locking members comprise cooperatively threadedconnectors.
 7. The obstruction removal system of claim 1, wherein thefirst and second locking members comprise magnetic connectors.
 8. Theobstruction removal system of claim 1, further comprising: amicrocatheter configured to slide the expandable member along the guidewire until the first locking member engages the second locking member.9. The obstruction removal system of claim 1, wherein the expandablemember is configured to be inserted in a first configuration and theninverted by a frictional force when the guide wire is removed from thevasculature to remove the stentriever and the obstruction from thevasculature so that the expandable member, when inverted, surrounds theat least one portion of the stentriever and the obstruction.
 10. Anobstruction removal device, comprising: an expandable member configuredto be slidably coupled to a guide wire, the expandable member beingconfigured to transition between a contracted state and an expandedstate, wherein the expandable member is configured to surround at leastone portion of a stentriever and an obstruction as the expandable membertransitions from the expanded state to the contracted state when theguide wire is removed from a vasculature to remove the stentriever andthe obstruction from the vasculature; and a first locking member at abase of the expandable member, the first locking member configured toengage a second locking member on the guide wire, the stentriever, or aninner surface of a guide catheter, thereby coupling the expandablemember to the guide wire, the stentriever, or the inner surface of theguide catheter.
 11. The obstruction removal device of claim 10, whereinthe first and second locking members comprise snap-fit connectors. 12.The obstruction removal device of claim 10, wherein the first and secondlocking members comprise cooperatively threaded connectors.
 13. Theobstruction removal device of claim 10, wherein the first and secondlocking members comprise magnetic connectors.
 14. The obstructionremoval system of claim 10, wherein the expandable member is configuredto be inserted in a first configuration and then inverted by africtional force when the guide wire is removed from the vasculature toremove the stentriever and the obstruction from the vasculature so thatthe expandable member, when inverted, surrounds the at least one portionof the stentriever and the obstruction.
 15. A method for removing anobstruction from a vasculature, comprising: inserting a guide catheterwithin a vasculature; extending a guide wire through the guide catheterso that a distal end of the guide wire is disposed proximate to theobstruction in the vasculature; engaging at least one portion of theobstruction in the vasculature with a stentriever disposed at the distalend of the guide wire; sliding an expandable member along the guide wireuntil a first locking member at a base of the expandable member engagesa second locking member on the guide wire, the stentriever, or an innersurface of the guide catheter, thereby coupling the expandable member tothe guide wire, the stentriever, or the inner surface of the guidecatheter, the expandable member being configured to transition between acontracted state and an expanded state; and removing the guide wire fromthe vasculature to remove the stentriever and the obstruction from thevasculature, wherein the expandable member is configured to surround atleast one portion of the stentriever and the obstruction as theexpandable member transitions from the expanded state to the contractedstate when the guide wire is removed from the vasculature to remove thestentriever and the obstruction from the vasculature.
 16. The method ofclaim 15, wherein the second locking member is on the inner surface ofthe guide catheter at or near a distal end of the guide catheter, andthe first locking member is disengaged from the second locking memberwhen the guide wire is removed from the vasculature to remove thestentriever and the obstruction from the vasculature.
 17. The method ofclaim 15, wherein the second locking member is attached to a proximalend of the stentriever or a portion of the guide wire that is near aproximal end of the stentriever.
 18. The method of claim 15, wherein thefirst and second locking members comprise snap-fit connectors,cooperatively threaded connectors, or magnetic connectors.
 19. Themethod of claim 15, wherein the expandable member is slid along theguide wire using a microcatheter.
 20. The method of claim 15, whereinthe expandable member is inserted in a first configuration and theninverted by a frictional force when the guide wire is removed from thevasculature to remove the stentriever and the obstruction from thevasculature so that the expandable member, when inverted, surrounds theat least one portion of the stentriever and the obstruction.